THE GOVERNMENT will fund a vessel, the MV Mamalakaya, that will carry fish buyers seeking to directly purchase the West Philippine Sea (WPS) catch.
The buyers on board will be ready “to purchase the fresh catch of Filipino fishermen at sea,” the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said in a statement.
The program is designed to reduce post-harvest losses and increase fisherfolk income, it added.
“In addition, fisherfolk will benefit from fuel and ice subsidies, enabling them to continue fishing activities in the WPS amid operational and environmental challenges.”
The BFAR said the WPS plays “a crucial role in national security and food sovereignty. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza